AllFreeNovel
Share Us
4 pm
“Mara,” I shouted repeatedly and got no response.
As I walked out into the living room, I found her fast asleep on the couch, snuggled up to pebbles. Dogs really do love pregnant women. Chuckling at the sight, I went to put a blanket on her and walked into my painting room.
It is often said that art speaks where words are unable to explain, and I couldn’t agree more. After all, it was my grandfather who told me this.
To be frank, I wasn’t much of a talker, so everything I expressed was either through my various paintings, poems, or journaling.
Whenever I’m home and I needed a bit of peace, I resort to painting. It’s an art my grandfather taught me and something he told me to never give up one. “If ever you lose the passion for anything, never let it be art. It says the words your lips can’t.”
Today was different, I didn’t know what to paint, I just knew I needed to. Dipping the brush in the liquid colorful goodness, I started making lines and swatches on the canvas—nothing short of vibrancy and purpose. I loved being free and expressive; a softer side of me that not many people knew, and then those who knew, never ended up caring much.
The majority of the paintings hanging around my house, my offices, and penthouses were done by me or my grandfather.
The objective for me wasn’t just to make art, but to be in that state of being which makes art meaningful. It has always crossed my mind to do an exhibit, but I haven’t come around to the idea of sharing these vulnerabilities with anyone yet.
A few more minutes of stroking turned to hours, and as the clock struck 6:45 and the chime went off, another piece was made, but this was different, and I surprised myself. I don’t know what I was doing, but it ended up being something beautiful.
This wasn’t the typical colorful and vibrant piece I normally do; this was filled with a contrast of both life and darkness.
There were many rifts, edges, and even brinks, which I couldn’t even understand. Whatever feeling this was, it definitely came from someplace dark.
Shit. I hate when this happens.
“I’ve seen all your pieces, but this one amazes me the most,” Mara said as she entered.
“Hey, little sis,” I said while turning around to face her. “I thought you left.”
“Naa, I’m sleeping over tonight because why not hang with my only brother and best friend, huh?”
“You have other brothers,” I said and chuckled.
“You’re the only brother that counts.” I smiled. I truly loved my sister. Though I’m four years older than her, she’s been the one person who went through the majority of life with me and I’ll always love her for not turning her back on me. Even in the times when I didn’t deserve her love and attention.
“Alright. I’m gonna make dinner then,” I said, packing up the brushes and sealing the paints.
“I already did, but don’t be hasty, Dillon,” she said, “explain this to me. A piece of this magnitude must have some special meaning to it.”
“Honestly,” I said and paused, “I didn’t think about this one. I just started painting.”
“But looking at it now, what does it mean to you?” There Mara goes, always asking the right questions but at the most difficult times.
“You look in the center of the canvas and you see a black heart, but in the middle of the gear, there’s a golden sparkle.” I chuckled.
“Is that like to represent light in darkness?”
“Not quite. The darkness represents fear and loneliness, but the light is giving a way out. The problem is that there’s too many layers of darkness, so the light gets easily buried. Looking to the left now we see streaks of heat colors, and to the right, it’s water colors, that just shows the different personalities and how much it’s affecting the heart,” I explained.
“But hold on,” she said, scanning the portrait, “what about the hand that holds it together and the veins?”
“Those are how to show how much people want to break the barriers but how much of them can’t.”
“I love this piece, but I don’t think it came from nowhere.”
I gave her a puzzled look, and she sighed. There Mara goes, always trying to make something out of nothing.
“It’s obviously about your thoughts about someone.”
